Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-03-04
The Washington Monument.

In recent volume OF essays relating to art, by
Col L Edwards Clarke, Of the Bureau OF Education,
published by w. II. Morrison under the title OF
''The Democracy OF Art" occurs the following
graphic description Of the Washington Monument.
The author has been referring to the public works
of art undertaken by the earlier republics of Greece
and Italy, and quotes the decree OF the SinOry OF
Florence, directing the erection Of the bell tower
to the [then] new Cathedral and since known as
the Campanile OF GiOttO. This quaint decree reads
thus:
''The Florentine Republic, soaring ever above
the conception OF the most competent judges,
desires that an edifice should be constructed SO
magnificent in its height and beauty that it shall
surpass everything OF the kind produced in the
time OF their greatest power by the Greeks and
Romans"
The author then proceeds:
In view OF the recent completion February,
1880 OF the mighty shaft; erected to the memory
OF Washington, in the capital city of the United
States, for which the greatest attitude OF any
structure on earth is claimed, and On which the
capstone was not laid till nearly forty years after
the laying OF the cornerstone may surmise that
this monument, erected CONFORMITY by individual
citizens, and 10y the Congress OF the United States
to the most eminent OF the founders OF the Great
Republic, and purpOsely planned to oertop pyra-
midS and cathedral SpireS,-waS designed in q
elder nations. as expressed by the decree OF the
Signory, II not, IN fact, inspired by some memory
Of that very decree.
This monument, by the magic of its completion
marveOusly transformed from the seemingly hope
less ugness OF its long unfinished state to struc
ture OF majestic beauty; the truncated, meaning
less pile, taking on at last the harmonious lines OF
the 0belisk; its magnitude lost in the grace OF its
proportion, stands in its completed perfection,
pure, simple, sublime First seen, far Off, line OF
light against the sky, it thrills and captivates the
behOlder, and on nearer view, effectually refutes
by It's upspring1ng ligntness and majestic
complaining critics, that, since an obelisk was
monOlith or moderate height, the project OF con-
structing gigantic monument in the form of an
ffSti cd tn
fa1lure
Never had the sententious utterance OF the
Romans fuller justincat1On; "f1nis cOrOnat opus
AS the statue OF Washington, by Greenough. rep
resentS the apotheosis OF the hero; so this monu-
ment to Washington is the apotheosis OF: the ODE
liSk; literally lifting the mOnOlith to the skies.
Although but few weeks have elapsed since the
placing OF the cap-stOne, and wOrkmen are still
busy In completing the Details It is evident that
an absolutely new and striking feature has been
added to the hitherto familiar landscape. Midway,
as IT. seems between the imposing mass OF the
still noble facade OF the mansion at Arlington,
with the massive columns OF Its lofty pOrttc0,
Which, from beyond Potomac, filings back the early
rays OF the morning sun, or, LATER sits in shadow
dark and COOL beneath its western screen OF broad
armed trees, now rises the mighty SHAFT. dazzling
in the sunlight, overlapping all lesser structures
subordinating even the great masses OF stately
and imposing government buildings and linking
these two, in grander harmony than beforel
So long as it was unfinished this piled mass of
stone remained but q blot In the picture, tncOn-
gruous intrusive. Art or nature would none OF It'll
melancholy instance OF arrested development,
but grew more and more intOlerable; nor. when
once again the work was undertaken, and month
by month the increasing altitude and whittier
layers OF the newly Quarr1ed marble told OF growth
In place OF StagnatiOn, was there any gain Of
more ODtruStve and tnharmOniOuS
How, with its completion, all this has changed!
Already become an essential feature OF the land
Scape, nature seems at once to have 'taken 1t to
her heart," and as some great natural object, q
mountain or lake, 1t loyalty responds to and re-
fleets, In turn, her various moods.
Sometimes the mighty mass, gradually EMBODIED
they; as, slowly melting into their embraces, 1t
fades from sight! Again, in the early dawn,
where, In the uncertain light the solitary haft
glmmerS ghOStly and gray, as II weary OF the
lonely watches OF the slow passing night, sud-
denly its uplifted summit catches the first rays OF
the ..10cund day!" Through all the day alternate
lights and shadows play upon its graceful shaft.
TILL at length, the slow descending sun floods with
light It's western side. Slowly rising higher and
Mgner towards the very summit, where "part1ng
Gay loves 70 unger and play" creep the evening
shadows; still high up In the heavens, long after
the plain below Is hid In darkness, the slOping
western facet flashes like newborn start
swinging westward and eastward, as the day
goes by, like some great s'Sh1p at anchor" moved
only 0y the flowing and ebbing OF the tide, the
mOnNOry shadow OF the monument traces on the
0lal OF the earth the passing OF the hours! So,
day by day, this enduring object grows familiar,
moods OF nature and OF man, TIL, by the subtitle
cnaTm OF association, 1t links itself with the lives
ana the affections OF men.
A GANG OF C0UNTERPETTxRs CAUGHf.-Canada
mas Tor year been flooded with dangerous cOun-
AvQQ a nd IN